Posted on Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 9:43 a.m.
'Stranger' who approached girl turns out to be neighbor
By Cindy Heflin
The man who approached a Chelsea High School student near a bus stop Tuesday afternoon turned out to be a neighbor, Michigan State Police said.
The girl originally said a stranger approached her as she walked home from a bus stop at Reiman and Notten roads near the Washtenaw-Jackson County line and offered her a ride. She refused and walked home.
But police have determined that the man was a neighbor and posed no threat, Trooper Pat Gallagher with the Brighton post of the Michigan State Police said.
Even though the incident proved to be harmless, Gallagher said it provides a good opportunity for parents to remind their children not to talk to strangers and to report any suspicious activity they encounter.
Comments
rusty shackelford
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 6:02 p.m.
Don't get me wrong, she did the right thing by refusing a ride from someone she didn't know, but how is this a matter for the police? Unless he said something lewd or threatening (possible, but not mentioned here), what law was conceivably broken here?
cornelius McDougenschniefferburgenstein jr. 3 esq.
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.
agrivated,felonius,conspiracy to commit furthering of alleged ride offering,1st degree.
Buster W.
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 5:31 p.m.
She didn't know him. Period. Doesn't that qualify him as a stranger?
sh1
Fri, Mar 2, 2012 : 12:37 p.m.
Or she didn't recognize him.
GreektownDave
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 4:33 p.m.
Yesterday when it was "a stranger" who simply asked if the child needed a ride, the police were consulting with the prosecutor about pursuing possible charges. Today, even though it was "a neighbor", those very same charges could be filed, yet suddenly there's no talk of doing so. So given that discrepancy, seeking and bringing charges in the county is based on WHO a person is and not WHAT THEY DID.
ThaKillaBee
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 4:04 p.m.
This is dumb. "Girl approached by stranger" is not news, no matter how you spin it.
jcj
Fri, Mar 2, 2012 : 12:52 a.m.
ThaKillaBee Obviously you don't have kids! Or at least not a girl in her teens! Completely agree with Buster W.
Buster W.
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 5:50 p.m.
Completely disagree. It is news when a female high school student is approached by a stranger on a country road and who is driving around in a white van with tinted windows (and a broken taillight).
smokeblwr
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 3:41 p.m.
This is why I don't help anybody. Especially people I know.
Hmm
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 3:51 p.m.
Haha
SMC
Thu, Mar 1, 2012 : 3:15 p.m.
Good: Girl uses head and avoids potential abduction. Bad: Once upon a time, you knew who your neighbors were. The only people in my neighborhood that I didn't know when growing up were the ones who had lived there less than a week, and that only lasted until we found out if they had other kids in our age group that wanted to go for a bike ride.